Porridge characters - British Comedy Guide Fletcher AKA: Norman Stanley Fletcher. Played by: Ronnie Barker Forty-two year old Fletcher is a former Teddy Boy and native of North London's Muswell Hill. An "habitual criminal", Fletch has spent many a year behind bars in the past, largely missing out on his three children growing up - the 14-year old Raymond, 19-year old Marion, and 24-year old Ingrid. Long wise to the ways of the system and how to get by inside, Fletch copes by scoring "little victories" over the warders, be it an illicit spot of gambling or wangling himself a cushy job. However, now forced to share a room with young Lennie Godber, Fletch seems to have discovered his true calling, quickly becoming a loving father figure to the young lad. Godber AKA: Leonard Arthur Godber; Gober; Len; Lennie. Played by: Richard Beckinsale 22 years old and engaged to Denise, whom he met in Birmingham's Bull Ring shopping centre, Godber's a somewhat naive and nervous first-time resident of the prison system.

A petty criminal who simply never had the chances to make anything of himself and fell into criminality, he's determined not to become a repeat resident of Her Majesty's Pleasure like Fletch. Godber initially struggles to cope with life inside, but is soon soothed by Fletcher's hard-learnt methods for whiling away the hours, keeping busy and keeping his nose clean. Mr. Mackay Senior Prison Officer. Played by: Fulton Mackay A former Drill Sergeant in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 1st Battalion, Mr Mackay continues to exercise military precision and discipline on the landings of Slade Prison. With his distinctive dulcet tones and sideways nod of the head, MacKay firmly believes in treating all prisoners equally - after all, each man is as despicable as the next! Mr. Barrowclough AKA: Henry Barrowclough. Prison Officer. Played by: Brian Wilde Mackay's polar opposite on Slade's landings, Mr Barrowclough's relaxed approach to prison discipline reflects his belief that Slade's inmates are there to be rehabilitated and eventually sent on their way as useful members of society.

Consequently, his easygoing manner is often taken advantage of by prisoners determined to see their latest illicit scheme through to its conclusion. His relaxed approach extends to his marriage, which not even Fletcher's counsel can offer much hope for! BBC - Comedy - Porridge Porridge Porridge The character of jailbird Norman Stanley Fletcher was originally conceived for a one-off comedy, Prisoner and Escort, forming one of Ronnie Barker's 1973 season of TV pilots, Seven of One. The BBC picked it up the next year for a full series, but neither they nor writers Dick Clement and Ian Le Frenais can have known quite what a phenomenon they'd created with the show they thought of calling Bird or Stir, before settling on another euphemism for life behind bars, Porridge. When the new show first aired in 1974 it was greeted with outrage in sections of the tabloid press, shocked at the notion of a comedy programme glorifying prison. Little time was needed, though, before any complaints were drowned out underneath a chorus of critical acclaim and public adoration for what remains one of the most classic British sitcoms ever produced.

Fletcher himself is an old hand at 'doing time', and we meet him serving a five-year stretch at HMP Prison Slade for breaking and entering - each episode would begin with the booming voice of the judge (recorded by Barker) passing sentence and the stark slamming of prison doors. Fletcher expects to enjoy a single cell but he's forced to share with a first-time offender, a naïve, young Brummie called Lennie Godber (played by Richard Beckinsale). Fletcher reluctantly takes Godber under his wing and helps him to 'keep his nose clean' but together they always end up getting into trouble (often for reasons beyond their control), either with other inmates or the prison officers at Slade. While the richly comic dialogue between the two cell-mates was a joy to watch, Clement and Le Frenais' wonderful writing didn't stop there, and they populated HMP Slade with a host of memorably eccentric characters, from kindly but senile Blanco (played ingeniously by a young David Jason), disgraced dentist Harris and dim-witted Warren to the irascible Scot MacLaren, conman Ives and the prison Mr Big, Harry Grout.

While Fletcher's knowledge and experience saw him regarded highly by most fellow inmates, it didn't stop him being used and blackmailed from time to time by Grout, who'd often force Fletch into tasks against his will. It was Fletcher's day-to-day job to juggle life on the landings with not getting caught by the wardens, which meant taking advantage of the kind-hearted and soft-natured Mr Barrowclough, and sidestepping the eagle eye of the harsh, suspicious Mr MacKay (portrayed with delicious menace by Fulton McKay). Episodes would usually involve Fletcher and Godber getting into trouble but somehow scoring a minor victory, usually against MacKay. The glee Barker injected into Fletcher's little triumphs was magical to watch. Porridge is probably the classic realisation of the sitcom method of putting characters in a situation where they're trapped with each other. In Fletcher's case it was with his cell-mate Godber, and the wonderful relationship between the pair in the scripts was elevated to pure gold by the sparkling chemistry between he two leads, Barker and Beckinsale.

Writers Clement and Le Frenais were so successful that the show became essential viewing inside Britain's real jails, and prisoners claimed it was the most accurate portrayal of real prison life on TV. Its massive success spawned a superior spin-off movie and a Bafta-winning sitcom sequel Going Straight, set around Fletcher's life on release from Slade, before more episodes were curtailed by the untimely death of Richard Beckinsale in 1979. Porridge was a show never afraid to throw into the mix scenes of true drama, as Godber and sometimes even Fletcher occasionally struggled to cope with the grind of being stuck behind bars. The way in which such moments were woven into episodes, adding depth and realism to the series without ever diminishing the humour, is yet another reason why it remains unarguably one of the all-time classics. Lennie Godber - Porridge (UK) Characters - ShareTV Lennie Godber Beckinsale acquired his first starring role in 1970 as Geoffrey in the sitcom The Lovers, opposite fellow ... Character Bio Leonard Arthur 'Lennie' Godber was a fictional character in the 1970s BBC comedy series Porridge, he was played by Richard Beckinsale.

Godber is from Birmingham, supports Aston Villa F.C., has an O Level in geography, and studies for a history O Level while in prison. Before he was arrested he shared a flat with his girlfriend Denise in nearby Smethwick, West Midlands. In an effort to get her a gift, Godber broke into a neighbour's flat. He was caught, and it was for this that he was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. Denise later broke up with Godber through a Dear John letter. Godber often came into conflict with the ever suspicious Mr Mackay, who appeared to find it very hard to believe that Lennie was not up to something. Even when he was, MacKay found it very hard to pin anything on him, thanks to Godber's penchant for dramatics, and occasionally to the cover-up efforts of Fletch and the sympathetic Mr. Barrowclough. Godber works in the prison kitchen where he has ample opportunities to steal valuable commodities such as butter and pineapple chunks that Fletcher is fond of. Godber also briefly took up a career as a boxer in the prison, although this was short-lived when he got involved in match fixing. Episode Screenshots Lennie Godber: How do you mean?

Norman Stanley Fletcher: For Gawd's sake, Godber, a flutter, a gamble. Lennie Godber: Gambling ain't allowed. Norman Stanley Fletcher: 'Course it flamin' ain't, that's why we do it! Lennie Godber: Why do you need Grout's permission? Norman Stanley Fletcher: Godber, you've been here a week. Ain't you learnt anything? Officially, this hotel is run by a governor appointed by the Home Office, name of Mr Venables, right? But we know different. We know that genial Harry Grout could bring the place to a standstill. Lennie Godber: Do you play for big stakes? Norman Stanley Fletcher: If we can nick any out of the meat safe. No, we play for anything negotiable, snout, mostly. Whatever it is, it won't be chicken-feed. Pity, I've got a lot of that. Blokes here are always betting. The excitement counters the misery of their monotonous existence. Lennie Godber: You what? Norman Stanley Fletcher: Well, it's not winning or losing, it's doing it under the screws' noses, surreptitious, like.

Lennie Godber: Blokes by me bet on how many bricks are in the cell. Norman Stanley Fletcher: That's common. Lennie Godber: I can't think. It drives me mad, listening to their recounts. "341, 342..." Norman Stanley Fletcher: Blokes in stir bet on anything - two flies crawling up a wall, the numbers of the hymns in the chapel, two flies crawling down a wall. Norman Stanley Fletcher: Didn't you notice the tension? Lennie Godber: Yeah, but I thought it was because of the female social worker. Norman Stanley Fletcher: What, gruesome Glenda, her with the bicycle and the brogues? Norman Stanley Fletcher: You couldn't have an erotic fantasy about her. Lennie Godber: Nifty Small's in love with her. Lennie Godber: He stole her bicycle saddle. Norman Stanley Fletcher: I bet the ride back was a bit painful for her.

Christopher Biggins on his time in the hit BBC show Porridge 40th anniversary | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV | Daily Express 09:01, Thu, Sep 4, 2014 Fulton Mackay, Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale in the hit BBC show[BBC] I can't believe it's 40 years since the first episode. Even now I'm stopped in the street by people eager to talk about Porridge. It was great family entertainment and remains as popular as ever. I was just 25 when I was invited to meet Syd Lotterby, the producer and director, at Television Centre to discuss a new sitcom. Being a young actor I was terribly starstruck and had no idea that the series had been written for my all-time favourite comedy actor Ronnie Barker, who was to play old lag Norman Stanley Fletcher. So when my agent told me I'd got the part of Lukewarm I was over the moon. I immediately rang my parents who were thrilled. When Syd discussed the character he asked if I minded playing an "iron hoof" which is a wonderful rhyming slang term for "poof".

I didn't mind at all but was determined not to make him outrageous. Back then it was still unusual for a gay character to appear in a sitcom. I ended up playing him a bit like me. I used to like knitting so I suggested Lukewarm - who got his nickname from working in the prison kitchen and always preparing tepid food - should knit. The problem was he wasn't very good at it and never finished anything. The public loved it and I received letters from people asking what Lukewarm would be knitting in the next series. In 2003 the BBC screened Life Beyond The Box, revealing how the inmates had fared 25 years after the show. My character was married to Trevor, his boyfriend in the original series, and had copious knitted sweaters and bobble hats around the house. It was so funny. Although Lukewarm wasn't a huge role he was a strong character. I'd previously done bits and pieces on shows such as Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and The Likely Lads but this was my big break. It was also a marvellous opportunity to work with some great people. I can still remember my first day at rehearsals.

Ronnie introduced himself to me which I thought was very gracious considering I felt I'd known him for years, having watched him in so many things. He said he was delighted I'd joined the show and that we we're going to have a lot of fun. He put me at ease immediately. OCCASIONALLY he'd sit with me in the canteen and at the end of rehearsals we'd pop to the pub next door and sometimes he would join us. He definitely had that star quality and in those early days I was totally in awe of him. But he was an incredibly generous actor. If he felt one of his lines was better said by another actor he'd offer it. I learned so much from him. He'd often sidle over during rehearsals to give advice, which I readily accepted. Richard Beckinsale, who played first-time offender Godber, was an enchanting man and would have gone on to become an international star. His early death was a tragedy. It's hard to imagine anyone else in that role now but originally Ronnie wanted Paul Henry, who played bobble-hatted Benny in Crossroads, for Godber. It was Syd who championed Richard.

Ronnie only came round to his way of thinking once he'd seen Richard in action. As an actor his performance was terrific when we came to record the show but it was a different ball game during read-throughs. Richard was the first to admit he was a terrible reader but every actor works differently and when he needed to shine he always did. Christopher Biggins, in glasses, on the much loved sitcom [BBC] It was a different era for TV back then though. You were allowed to take risks in the 1970s Fulton Mackay, who played prison officer Mr Mackay, was a real perfectionist. He'd work the hardest at getting what he wanted from his performance. He would have rehearsed for ever given the chance. Ronnie once told me how Fulton bagged most of the rehearsal time and that he had to gently remind him that: "In this episode I've got 25 minutes, you've got five, so can I do a bit of rehearsing as well?" When people ask me what my favourite episode was I always mention Men Without Women. It's the one where Fletcher writes love letters on behalf of all the inmates to their respective wives and then the wives discover that all the letters are the same.

Even Luke- letters are the same. Even Lukewarm's boyfriend Trevor has an identical letter - it was a moment of comic genius. Another funny episode is Just Desserts in which a tin of pineapple chunks goes missing. Such simple scenarios but the writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais made them work brilliantly. If I approached anyone today with the idea of making a sitcom episode revolving around a stolen tin of pineapple they'd think I was mad. It was a different era for TV back then though. You were allowed to take risks in the 1970s. Now, you've got to fight your way through a huge committee of people to get anything on air. It's a real shame. But I have no regrets about accepting the part of Lukewarm, just happy memories. I remember after the first series finished Ronnie gave all the regulars a silver tankard with the inscription Slade Prison 1974 together with our character's name. It's something I will always treasure. Even now, 40 years on, nothing comes near the brilliance of Porridge.

THE MEN WHO COOKED IT UP: PORRIDGE'S WRITERS ON WHAT MADE THE SHOW TICK Ian La Frenais When we were commissioned to write a prison-based comedy we couldn't think how we'd sustain the idea through an entire series - after all how could you make life in prison seem funny? To aid our research we visited numerous prisons. It didn't help and we got thoroughly depressed and more apprehensive about writing the series. But our mood changed after discussing prison life routines with a former prisoner. He mentioned the expression "It's all about little victories", referring to getting through one's sentence on a day-to-day basis, earning little victories by scoring against the system. That tiny phrase gave us a route in and became the key to Fletcher's character. Dick Clement We loved writing for Ronnie. It was the greatest fun we ever had. He possessed a writer's brain as well as an actor's and suggested the odd line or little ad-lib from time to time. He'd do something and ask: "Is that all right?" After we'd stopped laughing we'd reply: "Yes, Ronnie, fine." His instincts were always spot on.

Slade Prison finally closed its doors on March 25, 1977, with the episode Final Stretch spotlighting Godber's release. While we'd have willingly written a fourth series and the public would certainly have gobbled up more it was Ronnie's desire to move on that brought the show to an end. But the allure of Porridge remains even now. It's hard explaining what made the show work although having Ronnie Barker in the lead role was a major factor. I remember someone once saying that the best situation comedy on TV is a captive situation - you couldn't get more captive than Porridge. Then add a terrific cast and wonderful direction and bingo! Related articles Porridge (TV Series 1974–1977) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error The prison life of Fletcher, a criminal serving a five-year sentence, as he strives to bide his time, keep his record clean, and refuses to be ground down by the prison system.

Stars: Fletch is in the prison hospital, where an unpleasant con called Norris, shortly to be released, has won the possessions of an elderly prisoner, Blanco. Fletch hatches a plan involving a supposed ... 8.6 Supposedly as a temporary measure Lennie Godber is moved into Fletch's cell. As a first-timer the prison world is new to him and he misses his girl-friend. Fletch shows a kindly, philosophical side ... 8.5 Christmas Special. Fletcher discovers that his fellow inmates are planning to escape. 8.5 a list of 48 titles created 01 Dec 2011 a list of 41 titles created 27 Dec 2011 a list of 45 titles created 22 Mar 2013 a list of 34 titles created 10 Aug 2015 a list of 28 titles created 2 months ago Search for " Porridge " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. 4 wins & 3 nominations.

See more awards » Photos Arkwright is a tight-fisted shop owner in Doncaster, who will stop at nothing to keep his profits high and his overheads low, even if this means harassing his nephew Granville. Arkwright's ... See full summary » Stars: Ronnie Barker, David Jason, Lynda Baron This prison comedy is based on the popular British television series of the same name. Long time Slade prison inmate Fletcher is ordered by Grouty to arrange a football match between the ... See full summary » Director: Dick Clement Long running BBC comedy show consisting of sketches and humourous musical routines involving the large Ronnie Barker and the small Ronnie Corbett. Most sketches involved both men, but ... See full summary » Stars: Ronnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett, The Fred Tomlinson Singers Going Straight (TV Series 1978) Comedy Following his release from Slade prison, Fletcher tries to stick to the straight and narrow, but it isn't easy! Stars: Ronnie Barker, Patricia Brake, Richard Beckinsale Classic 1960s British comedy series about a middle aged man and his elderly father who run an unsuccessful 'rag and bone' business (collecting and selling junk). Harold (the son) wants to ...

See full summary » Stars: Wilfrid Brambell, Harry H. Corbett, Frank Thornton Popular sitcom set in a seedy bedsit lorded over by the mean, vain, boastful, cowardly landlord Rigsby. In each episode, his conceits are debunked by his long suffering tenants. Stars: Leonard Rossiter, Don Warrington, Frances de la Tour Victor Meldrew is a retiree who attracts bad luck. If he's not driving his long suffering wife Margeret crazy with his constant moaning, he's fighting with neighbors. Stars: Richard Wilson, Annette Crosbie, Doreen Mantle During WW2, in a fictional British seaside town, a ragtag group of Home Guard local defense volunteers prepare for an imminent German invasion. Stars: Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn Accident-prone Frank Spencer fails to navigate the simplest tasks of daily life, while also trying to look after his wife and baby. Stars: Michael Crawford, Michele Dotrice, Jessica Forte The misadventures of a ragtag group of elderly Home Guard local defense volunteers at the onset of WW2.

Director: Norman Cohen Terry and Bob from The Likely Lads (1964) continue their life after Terry arrives home from serving in the Army to discover that Bob is about to marry his girlfriend Thelma. Can Thelma lead... See full summary » Stars: James Bolam, Rodney Bewes, Brigit Forsyth This comedy series is all about two mates, Gary and Tony who share a two bedroom home. They are grown men who act like a couple of drunk two year olds, who spend their time either drinking ... See full summary » Stars: Martin Clunes, Caroline Quentin, Leslie Ash Edit Storyline Norman Stanley Fletcher is sentenced to 5 years at her Majesty's pleasure at HM prison Slade in darkest Cumbria. His naive cell mate Lenny Godber needs to learn the ropes, skives and scams and evil prison officer Mr.Mackay tries to run the prison his own way. And then there's Mr.Barroclough who is just too weak willed to have his good nature exploited. 5 September 1974 (UK) See more » Also Known As: Did You Know? Trivia The judge reading sentencing during the opening titles is voiced by Ronnie Barker .

Barker is reported to have said that he regretted recording himself as the judge (who was later portrayed by Maurice Denham in two episodes). See more » Quotes [Fletch is about to hit Jarvis with the television] Mackay : What are you doing, Fletcher? Fletch : Just adjusting the television, Mr Mackay! Mackay : With the set above your head? Fletch : Yes, it's the vertical hold! Warren : Look! We've got a picture! See more » Crazy Credits The closing credits listed the actors' names but not the corresponding names of the characters that they played. See more » Connections Unseen Porridge material to be screened in documentary - News - British Comedy Guide Unseen Porridge material to be screened in documentary Unseen Porridge material to be screened in documentary Monday 16th December 2013, 1:36pm TV channel Gold is working on a documentary series to mark the 40th anniversary of Porridge , the classic prison-based sitcom.

Porridge: The Inside Story is billed as going "behind the scenes of Slade prison to provide unseen material and classic sketches in a three part documentary series about life on the inside of one of Britain's most popular sitcoms". In a 2004 television poll, Porridge was named one of the UK's top 10 sitcoms. The programme, which was made by the BBC from 1974 to 1977 , ran for 20 episodes across three series. It started life as Prisoner And Escort, a pilot during the BBC's Seven Of One strand of Ronnie Barker comedies, and would go on to spawn a movie and its own spin-off, Going Straight Porridge starred Barker as Norman Stanley Fletcher, a wise and experienced prisoner who was paired in a cell with the green and naïve young prisoner Lennie Godber, played by Richard Beckinsale . The comedy also starred Fulton MacKay as strict Prison Officer MacKay and Brian Wilde as the kind and lenient Prison Officer Barrowclough.

Gold says: "From the pilot episode, through to the Christmas specials, and the spin-off follow up, Porridge: The Inside Story will tell the real story behind the series that left an indelible mark on British comedy." The documentary will also be accompanied by some new footage. Viewers will be taken on a tour of the pivotal places that writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais visited during the creation and development of the series, including the pub where they first met, the prisons they researched, and the little known filming locations they used. Specially commissioned graphics and 3D animation will also help bring alive the corridors and cells of the fictional Slade Prison, whilst running alongside rarely seen footage from the writers, the BBC and international archives. Gold adds: "Each meticulously researched documentary will reveal little known secrets, including how the series nearly never happened and how Richard Beckinsale was not the first choice to play Lennie Godber." The documentary series will also include talking head interviews.

The four key actors involved in the show have all passed away, however former cast members including Christopher Biggins (Lukewarm), Sam Kelly (Warren), Tony Osoba (Jock McClaren) and Dudley Sutton (Reg Urwin) will reminisce about the show; whilst contemporary comedians will assess and analyse the impact that Porridge has had on British comedy. Alongside the documentary episodes, the channel will run a fan vote for viewers to choose their favourite moment, which will be exclusively revealed to both Clement and La Frenais. Porridge: The Inside Story will be screened on Gold in 2014. Below is a classic clip in which Fletcher offers some advice to the other prisoners: Get set for second helpings of Porridge! The show's writers reveal a remake may yet be on the cards | Daily Mail Online Get set for second helpings of Porridge!

The show's writers reveal a remake may yet be on the cards Porridge producers are looking into creating a new series of the show They have spoken to Peter Kay about playing Fletch James Corden could also be in the running to replace Ronnie Barker comments Hollywood actress Kate Beckinsale was only five years old when her actor father Richard died from a heart attack, aged just 31. As a child she would comfort herself by watching him in re-runs of Porridge, the brilliantly funny BBC sitcom that had established him as a star in the mid-70s. 'He was almost tantalisingly real up there on the screen,' says Kate today. 'Watching him in Porridge was like a bridge for me after losing him. And the show was so funny. It remains one of my all-time favourite sitcoms - and not just because my dad was in it.' The original producers of Porridge say that they haven't ruled out doing a remake Coincidentally, Porridge's writers Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement were to come to Kate's rescue again in 2000 while she was filming her first big Hollywood movie, Pearl Harbor.

RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Recalls Dick, 'Ian and I got a call from the producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, asking us to fly to Honolulu and do some rewrites on the script, including a scene involving Kate's character, Nurse Evelyn Johnson. SO WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE CAST? Ronnie Barker (Fletch) The comedy legend enjoyed TV success after Porridge, in the sequel, Going Straight as well as Open All Hours and The Two Ronnies. He died from heart failure aged 75, in 2005 Richard Beckinsale (Godber) Like Barker he appeared in Porridge sequel Going Straight, but died from a heart attack aged 31 in 1979, while filming BBC sitcom Bloomers Fulton Mackay (Mackay) Developed a movie career post-Porridge appearing in Britannia Hospital (19820 Local Hero (1983) and Defense of the Realm (1986). He died in 1987 from stomach cancer, aged 64.

Brian Wilde (Barraclough) Played Walter 'Foggy' Dewhurst in Last of the Summer Wine for more than two decades, but he never recovered after a fall in 2008, and died later that same year aged 60. Christopher Biggins (Lukewarm) He won I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! in 2007. Now 65, he makes regular appearances on both television chat shows and pantomime. Tony Osoba (McLaren) Now 67, the Glasgow-born actor still pops up on television from time to time, most recently as a solicitor in BBC2's acclaimed thriller series The Shadow Line in 2011. 'She was very nervous because it was such a big movie for her, but when she saw us turn up on the set she said how reassured she felt, providing a connection with Porridge and her late father. She said every time something significant had happened in her career, she could find some sort of connection back to Porridge.

It was like a talisman for her.' Few can claim such a deep personal link to Porridge as Kate, but the nation fell in love with the show, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year with a new three-part documentary series Porridge: Inside Out that goes out later this month. Set in fictional Slade Prison, the sitcom's 21 episodes spread over three series attracted audiences of nearly 16 million when they originally aired on BBC1 between 1974 and 1977. Cunning old lag Fletch, played peerlessly by Ronnie Barker, and his naive young cellmate Lenny Godber, played by Beckinsale, were the heroes, forever trying to claim little victories over the warders Mackay (Fulton Mackay) and Barraclough (Brian Wilde), aided and abetted by fellow prisoners including Lukewarm (Christopher Biggins), 'Bunny' Warren (Sam Kelly), Grouty (Peter Vaughan), McLaren (Tony Osoba) and Blanco (David Jason). Many of the cast are sadly no longer with us, but the show is still seen by many as the greatest sitcom ever written.

Sir David Attenborough went as far as to describe it as 'the finest TV programme ever made', while comedy stars from Geoffrey Palmer and The Fast Show's Simon Day to Ian McShane and Father Ted's Pauline McLynn regard it as their favourite sitcom. Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran say it was the show that inspired them to begin their own illustrious sitcom writing career, penning huge hits Birds Of A Feather, The New Statesman and Goodnight Sweetheart. And it even had royal approval. 'I met Princess Margaret at a party in Hollywood in the 70s and she said, "We love Porridge,"' recalls Ian La Frenais. 'When she said "we" I took that to mean the whole Royal Family, rather than the royal we.' So why was Porridge so funny? Says Monty Python star Eric Idle in the documentary, 'It wasn't about people being given one-liners to say - the funny lines flowed naturally out of the situations Fletch and Godber found themselves in, especially when they were trying to get one over on the warders.' A prime example was when Fletch teased Mr Mackay with a story about a badly injured friend.

'He's a vegetable, a non-thinking zombie,' says Fletch. 'What became of him?' asks Mackay. 'He joined the prison service as a warder,' replies Fletch. Ian McShane reckons the little ditty Fletch sings to while away the time - 'Born free... till somebody caught me' - is one of the funniest lines he's ever heard, while the scene in which a prison doctor asks Fletch to provide a urine sample into a container set up one of the show's classic one-liners. Fletch, who's on the other side of the room, replies, 'What, from 'ere?' Then there's Fletch trying to persuade a fellow inmate to read a particular book. 'It's about the sex-starved lady pygmies of the Southern Malaysian desert.' 'What's it called?' 'Little Women.' Richard Beckinsale and Judy Loe pictured with their daughter Kate Beckinsale in the garden of their Teddington home in 1973 The show also introduced words such as 'scrote', 'nerk' and 'naff' into the nation's vocabulary.

Unable to use the foul-mouthed language of real prisoners as it aired pre-watershed at 8pm, the writers had to invent their own. 'Scrote is US prison slang, a derogatory term for someone,' explains Ian La Frenais. 'Naff, as in "naff off" or "naff all", is a euphemism for a much ruder word we got from Keith Waterhouse's novel Billy Liar. And nerk? It's very similar in meaning to scrote!' The documentary series, which airs over three weeks on Gold, features behind-the-scenes footage and classic clips from the show, as well as visits to some of the locations used, such as the old St Albans Prison gatehouse in Hertfordshire. 'I honestly think Richard may have been dyslexic, so it's amazing he got any TV roles at all because he would have been terrible at auditions.' It also reveals that Porridge was very nearly a non-starter.

As the show's producer Sydney Lotterby recalls, 'Porridge was originally part of a series of one-off comedies featuring Ronnie Barker, and he was keener on developing another one called I'll Fly You For A Quid, about a Welsh gambling addict, than he was on developing Porridge - or Prisoner And Escort, as it was then called. He had to be persuaded to do it by bosses at the BBC.' Even then, Porridge had problems to overcome before it got off the ground. 'For research purposes, Dick and I went to Wormwood Scrubs and Pentonville and Brixton prisons,' says Ian. 'We realised, perhaps unsurprisingly, that prison life really wasn't funny at all. It was only after Dick and I spoke to an ex-convict and he talked about the little victories prisoners could gain over the warders that we saw a way to make it at least partially funny. That and, of course, having Ronnie Barker on board to play the main role.' Barker was not only funny but could be relied upon to deliver word-perfect renditions of the script when the cast met for pre-recording read-throughs. Richard Beckinsale couldn't.

'He was terrible at read-throughs,' says Dick. 'If Richard had a big speech to deliver people used to think, "Oh, God" and fear the worst. But then they became more relaxed about him stumbling through and reading lines with completely the wrong rhythm because, two days later, when it came to actually shooting the episode, he would be perfect.' Adds Ian, 'I honestly think Richard may have been dyslexic, so it's amazing he got any TV roles at all because he would have been terrible at auditions.' The producers of Porridge have spoken to Peter Kay (right) about playing Fletch and they think James Corden (left) would be perfect for the role too Other cast members brought their own idiosyncracies to the production. Sam Kelly, who played prisoner 'Bunny' Warren, recalls, 'Fulton Mackay was a perfectionist who always wanted that extra rehearsal of a scene before he was satisfied. It used to drive producer Sydney Lotterby mad.

He'd sit in the control box, out of Fulton's earshot, shouting, "Come on, Fulton, get on with it!"' Porridge was to provide Ronnie Barker with one of the biggest hits of his illustrious career, and he wasn't slow to thank those who helped make it successful. The cast regulars were given silver tankards inscribed by Ronnie at the end of filming the first series, a souvenir that Christopher Biggins still treasures to this day. 'Written on it is "Lukewarm, P", meaning pee, which was Ronnie's little joke,' he says. By the time the cast had successfully completed the movie version of Porridge in 1979, Ronnie had moved on to bigger gifts. 'He took us into the garage at his home and said to Ian and me, "I want you to have this,"' recalls Dick Clement. 'It was a huge Jaguar car that was so big it had two fuel tanks, one on either side. It was a kind gesture but it guzzled so much fuel you almost needed a petrol tanker behind you to keep filling it up.

Ronnie was about to go on tour to Australia for a year with Ronnie Corbett when he gave us the Jag, so maybe he was just trying to avoid parking fees.' The show's producers, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais are putting some serious thought into reproducing the legendary series Ronnie's trip to Australia coincided with the saddest footnote imaginable to the success of Porridge. Richard Beckinsale's sudden death in 1979 cast an enormous shadow over cast and crew. 'I was staying in this very cold hotel in Northumberland while I was filming a movie version of The Tempest, and I got a call from London telling me Richard had died,' says Christopher Biggins. 'I went back to my room and just cried and cried and cried. He was such a lovely man with a brilliant career ahead of him.' At least the 17 episodes of Porridge that Richard did make will remain for posterity, and Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement only wish they'd written more. 'The problem was we'd painted ourselves into a corner at the end of series three in 1977 by having Godber released from jail,' says Dick. 'We do regret not writing another series.

Instead, we had a very drunken lunch at the BBC that went on until five in the afternoon and ended with the BBC chaps getting the brandy out' 'But we do regret not writing another series. Instead, we had a very drunken lunch at the BBC that went on until five in the afternoon and ended with the BBC chaps getting the brandy out and us walking out with a commission to write Going Straight, a series about Fletcher after he'd been released from jail. It did well, but never as well as Porridge.' There was a stage version of Porridge in 2009, with ex-EastEnder Shaun Williamson in the Fletch role, but Christopher Biggins says Porridge should never be revived on TV. 'You couldn't do Porridge again because you need Ronnie Barker to play the lead role,' he says. 'I'd like producers to have a little more imagination when it comes to what they put on TV, rather than grasping at old shows.' Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais - who also wrote The Likely Lads, Lovejoy and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet - disagree and don't rule out a comeback for their most successful show.

Intriguingly, they've even spoken to funnyman Peter Kay about playing the part of Fletch. 'I don't think you should rule anything out, although of course there are dangers in bringing back a comedy like Porridge when the original version was so revered,' says Dick. 'But Ian and I talked, academically, about how good James Corden would be in the role of Fletch the other day, and we actually had a conversation with Peter Kay a few years ago when we were thinking about reviving it. 'He was a friend of Ronnie's; he spoke at his memorial service. I'm sure he'd be very good. So you never know, it might just happen. Watch this space...' The three-part documentary series Porridge: Inside Out airs weekly on Gold from Wednesday 21 May at 8pm.

Question: Who played Godber in the sitcom 'Porridge?
Answer: Richard Beckinsale